


Vode An

by generalekenobi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25226470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/generalekenobi/pseuds/generalekenobi
Summary: “You know what you’re getting?” Fox asks Rex as Karina touches up the last letters of his tattoo. His ribs ache, but he’s happy with the fact that he’ll always have a reminder of his brothers with him. 'Vode an' in Mando'a script curves around his ribcage in scarlet ink. It joins his black cup of caf he got tattooed on his bicep when drunk, the Fett family crest that Jango had shown him once, and the simplified outline of Coruscant from orbit he has in gold on his back."That's for me to know, and you to find out, mir'sheb," Rex quips, scratching the back of his neck. Fox raises a brow at the deflection, but Marina taps him on the shoulder before he can open his mouth.
Relationships: CC-1010 | Fox & CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 12
Kudos: 90





	Vode An

**Author's Note:**

> This is for day 7 of CommanderFoxWeek - tattoos. Mando'a translations at the bottom.

“You know what you’re getting?” Fox asks Rex as Karina touches up the last letters of his tattoo. His ribs ache, but he’s happy with the fact that he’ll always have a reminder of his brothers with him. 'Vode an' in Mando'a script curves around his ribcage in scarlet ink. It joins his black cup of caf he got tattooed on his bicep when drunk, the Fett family crest that Jango had shown him once, and the simplified outline of Coruscant from orbit he has in gold on his back.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out, mir'sheb," Rex quips, scratching the back of his neck. Fox raises a brow at the deflection, but Marina taps him on the shoulder before he can open his mouth.

"You're good," the heavily tattooed Togruta tells him, helping him sit up. She goes about covering it in a clear wrap as he stares at Rex. His brother stares right back, never one to cave at a little pressure. Fox rolls his eyes as Rex settles down in the chair and pulls a folded up piece of paper from his pocket, shielding it from Fox when he leans over and hands it to Marina. Her brow-markings raise as she takes it in her intricately tattooed hand and grins.

"A little on the nose, but I like it. Nice line work, by the way," she tells him as he pulls up his sleeve. Rex has never had a tattoo before, and Fox is glad that his last remaining squadmate is finally getting with the picture and having some fun. Granted, Fox knows he has a bigger stick up his ass, but he astutely ignores that as he tries to peek at the piece of paper. Karina shoots him a flat look before placing it on the counter outside of his reach and beginning to free hand the outline with a marker. 

He watches, entranced, as she begins to form the figure of a furry canine sitting proudly on his bicep. The longer she goes on, the more it begins to resemble a very specific creature, and Fox feels a fond grin split his face. 

"Are you getting a  _ fox? _ " Fox asks, and the way that Rex goes red in the face tells him everything you need to know. Fox is ecstatic that his squadmate thinks enough of him to permanently tattoo a reminder of Fox on his body.

"I'm honored," he says, a little choked up, and the grin he gets in return is worth it. Fox perks up as Rex looks at the completed outline and gives her the go ahead to start tattooing.

"Hey, Karina? Do you have any appointments after Rex here?" He asks, and she shakes her head. Fox smiles. 

"Good, cause I'd like to hop back in the chair after he's finished," he says.

They walk out of Karina's shop together a few hours later sporting a Fox tattoo, and a tattoo of a set of jaig eyes.

* * *

He watches Rex cradle the dying trooper in his arms as he tries to keep his hands from shaking. He'd put it on stun - he  _ remembers _ putting it on stun as soon as he'd gotten the message about a rogue trooper, right before he went to see the Chancellor. Fox feels dizzy.

He's a vod-kyramud. There's no coming back from this.

Rex holds the trooper as he goes limp, and as soon as he does, he stares straight into Fox's visor.

"Gar kyrayc bah ni," he says, voice harder than Fox has ever heard it. He makes an aborted movement towards Rex, and sees his brother's hand fall to his pistol. Fox freezes, horrified. Everyone else in the room just watches.

"Ni cet-" Fox starts, and Rex  _ snarls. _

"Ne'johaa!" Rex says, and closes his eyes as if in physical pain. "Ni ne'kyr'tayl gai sa'vod," he declares for all the room to hear, and Fox's knees nearly go out. His only remaining squadmate had just formally disowned him, an action only taken when every bridge had been burned to ash.

Fox can only watch as Rex stands, cradling the trooper in his arms, and walks away. Fox is lost for words. He's numb. Nothing matters anymore - he'd committed an unforgivable crime, and gotten just what he deserved.

* * *

Not many Commanders take advantage of the Coruscant Guard Barracks' gym, usually preferring to use the gyms on their own ships when visiting Coruscant. Rex is the only one Fox has ever known to spend any amount of time in them, so really it shouldn't be a surprise when Fox walks in, towel slung over his shoulder, ready to work out until he can't stand anymore, when he sees Rex wailing away at the bag. 

His broth- no, not his brother - his fellow officer's back is to him, and he's shirtless, sweat rolling down his shoulderblades. Obviously he's been at it for a while. Fox, even knowing that his concern isn't warranted or wanted, can't help but scan his fellow officer for new injuries. He finds none, and is about to walk over to the weight machine, when he notices Rex's bicep.

Where there had once been a Fox, was now a black band tattooed around his arm. Fox feels like he's been stabbed. Really, he doesn't know what he expected - no one wants to pay homage to a vod-kyramud - so he shouldn't have tears forming in his eyes. 

Fox turns on his heel and walks out of the gym, letting the door slam behind him with a resounding clang.

**Author's Note:**

> Mando'a Translations:  
> Vode an - Brothers all  
> Mir'sheb - Smartass  
> Vod-kyramud - Brother-killer  
> Gar kyrayc bah ni - You're dead to me  
> Ni ceta - I'm so sorry  
> Ne'johaa! - Shut up!  
> Ni ne'kyr'tayl gai sa'vod - I don't know your name as my brother (A legal declaration of familial divorce, mirroring the Mando'a adoption vow)


End file.
